رَاعَنَا خَطْبُهُمْ وَكَانَ جَسِيماً

رَاعَنَا خَطْبُهُمْ وَكَانَ جَسِيماً

مَسْبَحَ الحُوتِ هَلْ شَبِعْتَ رَمِيمَا

مَسْبَحَ الحُوتِ هَلْ شَبِعْتَ رَمِيمَا

Their calamity appalled us, and it was grave.

Their plight troubled us, it was grave

O swimming-place of the fish, have you had your fill of decayed bones?

The whale's rosary, are you sated, despicable?

كُلْ صُدُوراً وَانْهَشْ كُلىً وَتَفَكَّهْ

كُلْ صُدُوراً وَانْهَشْ كُلىً وَتَفَكَّهْ

بِعُيُونٍ وَاشْرَبْ نُهىً وَحُلُومَا

بِعُيُونٍ وَاشْرَبْ نُهىً وَحُلُومَا

Devour chests, gnaw kidneys, and feast

Devour every chest and gnaw away bones

On eyes; drink down reason and understanding.

With eyes and drink killing and flesh

وَامْتَصِصْ نَهْدَ كُلِّ رَوْدٍ حَصَانٍ

وَامْتَصِصْ نَهْدَ كُلِّ رَوْدٍ حَصَانٍ

وَدَعِ الجَائِعَ الرَّضِيعَ فَطِيمَا

وَدَعِ الجَائِعَ الرَّضِيعَ فَطِيمَا

And suck the breast of every tender, chaste woman,

And suckle the teat of every vigorous mare

And leave the hungry suckling weaned.

And leave the hungry infant ravenous

مِئَتَيْ هَالِكٍ أَصَبْتَ رِجَالاً

مِئَتَيْ هَالِكٍ أَصَبْتَ رِجَالاً

وَنِسَاءً أَصَبْتَ غُنْماً عَظِيمَا

وَنِسَاءً أَصَبْتَ غُنْماً عَظِيمَا

You claimed two hundred victims—men

You have slain two hundred men

And women—you gained immense spoils.

And women, you have taken immense spoils

أَيُّهَا النِّيلُ مَا جَنَيْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ

أَيُّهَا النِّيلُ مَا جَنَيْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ

بَلْ جَنَى جَهْلُهُمْ وَلَسْتَ مُلِيمَا

بَلْ جَنَى جَهْلُهُمْ وَلَسْتَ مُلِيمَا

O Nile, you did them no wrong;

O Nile, you did not wrong them

Rather, their ignorance did, and you are not to blame.

Rather, their ignorance wronged them and you were not unjust

طَالَمَا مَارَسُوكَ سَهْلاً عَلَيْهِمْ

طَالَمَا مَارَسُوكَ سَهْلاً عَلَيْهِمْ

مِنْ حَنَانٍ وَدَاعَبُوكَ حَلِيمَا

مِنْ حَنَانٍ وَدَاعَبُوكَ حَلِيمَا

Long have they dealt with you, gentle toward them

Long have they known you as gentle to them

Out of tenderness, and played with you, forbearing.

With tenderness, and they caressed you calmly

قَدَرٌ سَاقَهُمْ فَلَمْ يُغْنِ مِمَّا

قَدَرٌ سَاقَهُمْ فَلَمْ يُغْنِ مِمَّا

حَتَمَ الْجَهْلُ أَنْ تَكُونَ كَرِيمَا

حَتَمَ الْجَهْلُ أَنْ تَكُونَ كَرِيمَا

Fate drove them; of no avail against what

Fate led them, and nothing could protect them

Ignorance decreed was your generosity.

From the tyranny of ignorance that you should be generous

بَاعَهُمْ تَاجِرٌ عَلَيْكَ بِمَالٍ

بَاعَهُمْ تَاجِرٌ عَلَيْكَ بِمَالٍ

بَزَّهُ مِنْهُمُ فَلَسْتَ غَرِيمَا

بَزَّهُ مِنْهُمُ فَلَسْتَ غَرِيمَا

A trader sold them to you for money

A merchant sold them to you for money

He wrested from them; so you owe no debt.

He exaggerated about them, so you were not deceitful

وَلَئِنْ يَجْهَلُوا فَيَشْقَوْا فَيَفُنوْا

وَلَئِنْ يَجْهَلُوا فَيَشْقَوْا فَيَفُنوْا

هَكَذَا الشَّعْبُ حَيْثُ عَاشَ يَتِيمَا

هَكَذَا الشَّعْبُ حَيْثُ عَاشَ يَتِيمَا

And if indeed they are ignorant, then suffer, then perish,

And if they remain ignorant and wretched and vanish

So it is with a people wherever it lives orphaned.

Thus are the people wherever they live orphaned

لَوْ رَعَتْهُمْ حُكُومَةٌ لَوَقَاهُمْ

لَوْ رَعَتْهُمْ حُكُومَةٌ لَوَقَاهُمْ

عِلْمُهُمْ ذَلِكَ المُصَابَ الأَلِيمَا

عِلْمُهُمْ ذَلِكَ المُصَابَ الأَلِيمَا

Had a government cared for them, they would have been protected

Had a government guided them, knowledge

By their knowledge from that painful calamity.

Would have saved them from that painful affliction